I know a few members had concerns regarding getting stuck in a train whilst in a tunnel and ShyGuy and myself did a little research to find some information that would make you realise the very strict guidelines and procedures that are in place given an emergency situation. Below you will find extracts taken from The Office of Rail Regulation.

Train evacuation procedures:

The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) expects train operators', Network Rail's and London Underground's Safety Management Systems to refer to strategic and day-to-day management procedures for dealing with the evacuation of trains in an emergency. Of course, such procedures will vary from operator to operator and depending on the different types of rolling stock involved.

With regard to tunnels:

â¦London Underground (LU) has a Rule Book with 22 Operational Standards, with which all staff are trained and expected to follow. Relevant standards include: communications; incident organisation and management; moving a stalled train and authorised detrainments; train incidents and safety equipment; managing the platform train interface; station access; station management; station emergency response; and Station Supervisor's responsibilities which include dealing with train incidents. ORR's HM Railway Inspectorate (HMRI) actively monitors LU's compliance with its own procedures and their impact on passengers.

In terms of general information relating to emergency procedures, I have attached a copy of our 'Guidance on the provision of equipment and arrangements for evacuation and escape from trains in an emergencyâ. However it should be noted that this will need to be revised in the light of recent research carried out by the industryâs own Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB). RSSB's research, T424 Requirements for train windows on passenger rail vehicles, concluded: âTo save lives, the requirement for [passenger] containment is overwhelmingly greater than the requirement for escape. â Put simply, this means that in the future bodyside windows will be fitted with laminate glass to prevent passenger ejection during an incident because âthe benefits of toughened glass windows for escape far outweighed by the risk of ejection through them.â This means that bodyside windows will no longer provide a means of escape. Though the fire brigade have equipment that can cut through laminated windows.

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Evacuation procedure guidelines:

Extracts and information based upon leaflet: INDG358 07/02 C50 Guidance on the provision of equipment and arrangements for evacuation and escape from trains in an emergency
(Copyright: Health and Safety Executive <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.hse.gov.uk">http://www.hse.gov.uk</a><!-- m -->)

Evacuation in an emergency is regarded as the controlled exit of passengers from a train to a place of safety, which is supervised by railway or emergency services personnel.

Escape in an emergency is regarded as the unsupervised exit of passengers from a train or vehicle to a place of safety. In these circumstances passengers may follow the advice of train signage and instructions provided, and may use on-board emergency equipment, emergency door-release devices, or any emergency exit windows.
Passengers should be advised that escape from the train should only be attempted as a last resort since harm may arise from the act of alighting from the train, from live electrical equipment or from other trains which may be passing.

This covers emergency exits; facilities for the removal of windows where applicable, such as hammers; door emergency release devices; escape lighting; signs indicating emergency exits or equipment; training of on-board staff in evacuation procedures; and information and instructions to passengers. The equipment and arrangements to be provided on different types of train will depend on the type of train, and on practicalities.

Equipment needs to be:

(a) Sufficient, so that it is available to all staff and passengers when needed;

(b) Suitable, so that it performs its intended function satisfactorily in the conditions in which it will be foreseeably used;

(d) easy to use, regarding the conditions in which it may be used, including poor light.

251 The duty holder should describe the arrangements to provide suitable instructions for passengers on the means of escape and on the use of the emergency equipment provided. This includes information on the position of escape routes, escape route
signs and any emergency exits, and how to use the exits in emergency, including, where appropriate, the information describing the means of releasing doors in an emergency.

This information could be provided in writing, e.g. in the form of an
illustrated card provided at each seat, through information notices and/or announcements. Simple, bold instructions also need to be provided on the release and use of hammers where supplied and other emergency devices, placed next to hammers and capable of being read in poor light.

Criterion 11.13: The Safety Case should provide details of the equipment provided and the procedures implemented to enable the safe evacuation or escape when necessary from trains.

Reason

59. In the event of an accident it is foreseeable that both passengers and employees may have to escape/evacuate from damaged parts of the train. Unless the passengersâ health and safety is at risk they should be encouraged to remain within the train until the emergency services arrive.

Examples of evidence

61. Preference is given to disembarking passengers at a station or transferring them to another train to continue to the disembarkment point.

62. The procedures take account of any factors that may present additional risks including, for example, the presence of tunnels and third-rail traction current systems.

66. Notices placed throughout the train advising passengers what action should be taken in the event of an accident and the designated escape routes.

67. Provision should be made for the removal of glazing where it forms part of an escape route and this should be provided in each carriage with appropriate instructions for passengers.â

PART 3
Railway safety principles and
guidance Part 2 Section F Trains

The following is taken from the relevant sections of Railway safety principles and guidance Part 2 Section F Trains (RSPG2F) which refer to evacuation and escape from trains. It should be noted that this is a summary of the guidance text as this structure does not exist in the published edition. The information has been taken from several sections by the author (Health and Safety Executive) to help highlight the relevant details from the publication

Fire safety
On-board fire safety provisions should take into account the needs of passengers and staff when evacuating their accommodation to a place of relative safety along the train or, after the train has stopped, away from the train....

Doors and glazing
In an emergency it should be possible for people to:

(a) open designated external doors or windows, once the train is stationary;

Inter-vehicle gangways or internal doors should not prevent passengers from escaping. Passengers should be able to exit their vehicle using more than one route. There should be no âdead endâ traps. End doors, that form part of an escape route, should be
usable by passengers to evacuate....

Lighting
Passenger compartment lighting should remain operational at all times. A reduced level of lighting may be permitted in the event of an emergency to conserve the secondary power source and should last long enough to permit the train to be evacuated safely. Emergency lighting provisions should include escape routes and signs.

One-person or automatic operation
Where trains are operated automatically or on one-person-operated underground railways or in other circumstances that restrict evacuation, the control centre should be able to communicate with the passengers direct.

Public address
A public address system, or similar, should be provided to enable the train crew (or, where appropriate, the train control centre staff ) to communicate with passengers. The system should be available during an emergency, and where appropriate, to members of the emergency services.
On-board equipment for staff use in an emergency
Conductor rail electric traction current short-circuiting devices, track circuit shortcircuiting devices and similar emergency equipment should be provided appropriate to the traction and signalling systems in use.

Page 6
6.1.1 Considerations for evacuation and escape to the vehicle side

Where access to a bodyside door is not directly via an open, unhindered route, additional bodyside emergency escape exits or means to guarantee access via the designated route shall be provided.

Power operated bodyside doors and manually operated slam doors fitted with a secondary locking system shall have emergency door release facilities adjacent to each door.

Where only selected windows are breakable or removable as a designated bodyside escape device, a suitable and easily accessible device for breaking or removing the window shall be provided locally at each exit.

Page 7
Where a bodyside or other escape exit is provided by a removable cover, hatch or opening panel, a simple and quick means of operation shall be provided for use by passengers. The means of operation shall not require tools or keys, but shall adequately deter unauthorised use under normal conditions.

6.1.2 Considerations for evacuation and escape through the vehicle ends

Train end evacuation and detrainment devices shall be considered as applying to both ends of a train formation. An evacuation route shall be preserved to enable passengers to move freely from one end of the train formation to the other. In an emergency, locked internal doors shall be capable of being overridden by passengers without the use of keys or tools, but with adequate deterrence from unauthorised use under normal conditions.

External train end evacuation doors shall provide a safe throughway to the track or to an adjacent vehicle when formed as an intermediate vehicle. An override device shall be provided to allow passengers to unlock the end door from the inside, and
from the outside when formed as an intermediate vehicle, in an emergency without the use of tools or keys.

A means shall be provided within, or in the immediate vicinity of, the train end evacuation door for passengers to alight from the vehicle to track level. Such a detrainment device shall be simple and safe for passengers to apply and operate.

Thanks for posting it Jonny, that was pretty helpful for me! It's just that this particular part shows that escaping the train isn't as easy as it seems:

Jonnyjonny_uk Wrote:Passengers should be advised that escape from the train should only be attempted as a last resort since harm may arise from the act of alighting from the train, from live electrical equipment or from other trains which may be passing.

Ellen Wrote:It's just that this particular part shows that escaping the train isn't as easy as it seems:

Jonnyjonny_uk Wrote:Passengers should be advised that escape from the train should only be attempted as a last resort since harm may arise from the act of alighting from the train, from live electrical equipment or from other trains which may be passing.

Hi Ellen

I think there is a misunderstanding; it is easy to leave the train in an emergency the problem is once the passengers alight from their carriages the staff will have very little control over them and someone is bound to panic and end up on a live track or under the rescue train... :laugh:

Speaking of 'live rails' did you read this? They actually carry a short-circuit kit on board the train. scool

Jonnyjonny_uk Wrote:On-board equipment for staff use in an emergency
Conductor rail electric traction current short-circuiting devices, track circuit shortcircuiting devices and similar emergency equipment should be provided appropriate to the traction and signalling systems in use.

Why do dogs bark?

They are not barking, they are talking in dog. Obviously you don't understand the language.

Well, I have no idea how to use a short-circuit device so I'm not sure how it would help me. Plus, how do I know for sure whether they have isolated the tracks yet or not, I don't want to be the one who tests the hypotheses lol. Also, I'm the one who's most likely to panic in that sorta situation so your words weren't very soothing, Shy guy LOL.

Firstly, the short circuit device is for trained staff members to use only. I carried out the training whilst I worked on the railway and it is a very quick and easy method of isolating the live rail. There is also test equipment that they put on the live rail to prove the isolation has worked. You need to prove something working before you can isolate it.

Secondly, the method of isolation by means of a short circuit device is normally for small contained incidents and in the circumstances of an emergency evacuation of a train I can assure you one of the first things after all the signals in the vicinity of the train have been put to red is isolation of the electrification in the area. Only under very rare circumstances would passengers have to walk on the track with the rail live and in these circumstances there would always be staff to assist in using an authorised walking route. There are in fact authorised walking routes all along the trackside which is within a safe distance of the live rail.

In the controlling signal box for the area of the incident it is possible to isolate the electrification instantly so rest assured you could still panic a little without having any problems

Thank you Jonny, that makes it clearer to me now. Is there any way for an average passenger to find out whether the rail has been isolated or not? Another question, is it possible that in the case of technical problems the electricity on the train will be cut off (including light on the train) or are there always some back-up systems working no matter what happens?

Ellen Wrote:Thank you Jonny, that makes it clearer to me now. Is there any way for an average passenger to find out whether the rail has been isolated or not? Another question, is it possible that in the case of technical problems the electricity on the train will be cut off (including light on the train) or are there always some back-up systems working no matter what happens?

There is no way for an average passenger to know if it has been isolated so like any person including staff the rail must always be treated as being live!! Only with special equipment can it be proven isolated.

Im not an expert when it comes to the trains onboard systems but I will look into it more for you regarding the backup supply for onboard lighting but I would be pretty sure they have emergency battery backup for the lighting. I will let you know what I can find out about it in more detail